The effect of particulate dissolution on the neodymium (Nd) isotope and Rare Earth Element (REE) composition of seawater
The effect of particulate dissolution on the neodymium (Nd) isotope and Rare Earth Element (REE) composition of seawater
The exchange of material between particulates and seawater along the continental margins, a process commonly referred to as boundary exchange, is thought to play a significant role in controlling the neodymium (Nd) isotope and Rare Earth Element (REE) composition of the oceans. This study provides experimental verification of this concept by quantifying the effect of particulate dissolution in seawater on dissolved ?Nd and REE compositions. Three closed-system experiments were performed using basaltic particulate material of riverine, estuarine and marine origin. The release of Nd from this basaltic material increased the ?Nd composition of seawater in all three experiments, with a ?Nd value close to that of the associated sediment being achieved within 80 days in all experiments. Mass balance indicates that up to 0.4% of Nd from the particulate phase was released to the seawater over the duration of these experiments, and that the rate of release varied according to particulate origin and surface area. Progressive variations in the PAAS normalised REE patterns, as well as the Eu and Ce anomalies and La/Yb ratio, demonstrate that REEs were also transferred from the basaltic particulates to seawater during the experiments. Despite evidence for the release of REEs from the particulate material, dissolved REE abundances decreased during the experiments, and are thought to reflect incorporation into the REE-phosphate mineral rhabdophane. Together these experimental results confirm that elemental release from basaltic sediments on the ocean margins is a significant marine flux that can have a major control on the composition of seawater.
neodymium isotopes, Rare Earth Elements, particulate dissolution, boundary exchange
138-147
Pearce, Christopher R.
c83b6228-0b64-4f5a-a8ad-e5cd33a11de3
Jones, Morgan T.
599a9a49-9afd-4121-9294-e0eac02b4a6f
Oelkers, Eric H.
3cf51d71-be44-4bed-803e-3b240bdb147b
Pradoux, Catherine
aca2a234-b4c2-4949-9eeb-7d2118b15ba0
Jeandel, Catherine
d2a06452-d4f2-4ea5-9205-845b645067c1
May 2013
Pearce, Christopher R.
c83b6228-0b64-4f5a-a8ad-e5cd33a11de3
Jones, Morgan T.
599a9a49-9afd-4121-9294-e0eac02b4a6f
Oelkers, Eric H.
3cf51d71-be44-4bed-803e-3b240bdb147b
Pradoux, Catherine
aca2a234-b4c2-4949-9eeb-7d2118b15ba0
Jeandel, Catherine
d2a06452-d4f2-4ea5-9205-845b645067c1
Pearce, Christopher R., Jones, Morgan T., Oelkers, Eric H., Pradoux, Catherine and Jeandel, Catherine
(2013)
The effect of particulate dissolution on the neodymium (Nd) isotope and Rare Earth Element (REE) composition of seawater.
Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 369-370, .
(doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2013.03.023).
Abstract
The exchange of material between particulates and seawater along the continental margins, a process commonly referred to as boundary exchange, is thought to play a significant role in controlling the neodymium (Nd) isotope and Rare Earth Element (REE) composition of the oceans. This study provides experimental verification of this concept by quantifying the effect of particulate dissolution in seawater on dissolved ?Nd and REE compositions. Three closed-system experiments were performed using basaltic particulate material of riverine, estuarine and marine origin. The release of Nd from this basaltic material increased the ?Nd composition of seawater in all three experiments, with a ?Nd value close to that of the associated sediment being achieved within 80 days in all experiments. Mass balance indicates that up to 0.4% of Nd from the particulate phase was released to the seawater over the duration of these experiments, and that the rate of release varied according to particulate origin and surface area. Progressive variations in the PAAS normalised REE patterns, as well as the Eu and Ce anomalies and La/Yb ratio, demonstrate that REEs were also transferred from the basaltic particulates to seawater during the experiments. Despite evidence for the release of REEs from the particulate material, dissolved REE abundances decreased during the experiments, and are thought to reflect incorporation into the REE-phosphate mineral rhabdophane. Together these experimental results confirm that elemental release from basaltic sediments on the ocean margins is a significant marine flux that can have a major control on the composition of seawater.
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Published date: May 2013
Keywords:
neodymium isotopes, Rare Earth Elements, particulate dissolution, boundary exchange
Organisations:
Geochemistry
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Local EPrints ID: 356960
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/356960
ISSN: 0012-821X
PURE UUID: 78bde6f4-13d8-4d96-bb99-a05a54a26cfb
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Date deposited: 17 Sep 2013 16:13
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 14:54
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Author:
Christopher R. Pearce
Author:
Morgan T. Jones
Author:
Eric H. Oelkers
Author:
Catherine Pradoux
Author:
Catherine Jeandel
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